Hidden Gems of New England

Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Four Seasons Hotel, Boston. A transfer is included from Logan International Airport to The Four Seasons Hotel, Boston. Centrally located in the heart of downtown Boston, the Four Seasons Hotel, Boston is mere steps away from Boylston Street, where numerous historical landmarks including Boston Common, Boston Public Library, Boston Public Garden and Copley Square can be found. For those looking to explore all that Boston has to offer, there is no better place to stay.

Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.

In his films Baseball and The Tenth Inning, Ken Burns offers a glimpse into the soul of our "national pastime;" for many, it lives at Fenway Park, America's oldest ballpark and home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912. Past glories come alive on a walking tour of the stadium that may include some its most famous landmarks, such as the Triangle, Pesky's Pole, the former location of Duffy's Cliff, and the legendary Green Monster of left field.

Next, an orientation tour of the city follows the historic Freedom Trail from the Back Bay's Copley Square to Augustus Saint-Gaudens' memorial to Col. Robert Gould Shaw in Boston Common, the State House, the Old North Church, the Old State House and the South Meeting House. The remainder of the day is free to explore Boston as you please.

Depart the city of Boston for the nearby flashpoint of the American Revolution, the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord. First, travel to the Lexington Battle Green, where the "shot heard 'round the world" that signaled the beginning of hostilities was fired; and Concord's Old North Bridge and iconic Minuteman statue, cast from the bronze of Civil War cannons, in Minute Man National Historic Park. Head west across the center of Massachusetts, stopping for lunch en route to the Berkshires for a late afternoon arrival at your historic hotel in Stockbridge.

Aglow with blazing foliage in autumn, the Berkshires of western Massachusetts have long been a retreat for artists and writers. Begin today's discoveries in Stockbridge at the Norman Rockwell Museum, dedicated to the beloved illustrator whose hundreds of covers for the Saturday Evening Post depicting scenes from small-town America – including here in Stockbridge, where he spent the last 25 years of his life – illuminated the lives of ordinary people with humor and pathos; view many original works by Rockwell, and visit his preserved studio.

Next, head to Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield for a private tour of this former Shaker settlement, founded in 1783 and active through 1960. Today it's a living-history museum featuring 20 authentic Shaker buildings, costumed interpreters, rich collections of Shaker furniture and artifacts, a working farm with extensive gardens and heritage-breed livestock and more.

Continue on to Manchester, Vermont, for an overnight at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel.

Depart your Vermont resort and drive into the New Hampshire countryside for an exclusive insider look at Ken Burns' private film studio in Walpole, where his Florentine Films was founded. Have lunch in town before visiting The Rocks in nearby Bethlehem, New Hampshire – a 1,400-acre forest reservation owned and managed by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests – where a maple sugaring experience awaits you.

For centuries, maple sugaring has remained a cherished tradition in New Hampshire, where the sight of smoke billowing from sugar houses nestled in the woods heralds the onset of spring. With the warming days, sap courses through sugar maple trees, awaiting harvest to produce delectable maple syrup, sugar, and confections. At The Rocks' New Hampshire Maple Experience, visitors delve into this rich maple heritage, tracing its roots from the methods employed by Native Americans and early European settlers to the contemporary practices of today's sugar makers.

En route to your next hotel, indulge in the autumnal panoramas of New Hampshire's White Mountains, before arriving for a two-night stay at a true New England classic since 1902 – the spectacular Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, a National Historic Landmark.

This morning, you're off to the base of Mount Washington embarking by van on a journey to its summit. The harshest winter weather on the planet can be found at the summit, where a wind speed of 231 mph was once recorded in 1932, and the stone houses are anchored to the ground with chains. Run by the state of New Hampshire, Mount Washington Observatory is a special organization that is usually only visited by members – as a Tauck guest, you'll have special access and a talk by one of the experts (pending availability) who will brief you on their work in this unique environment.

It's a day for indulging in the colorful quintessence of a fall foliage tour as you wind down New England back roads to return to your luxury resort at Bretton Woods. Dine as you please this evening.

A wildlife talk at your White Mountains resort this morning offers an appreciation of the ecology of the glorious landscapes, summer and autumn, that you'll journey through today as you wind your way to Maine.

You'll arrive midday at Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, named by the Abenaki tribe, because the word means "beautiful place by the sea." The area is known for its stunning walking trails – you'll have an opportunity to explore this quintessential coastal Maine region with a walk along the famed Marginal Way trail that hugs the sea. Originally developed in 1925, the trail is only 1.25 miles – with spectacular breathtaking vistas and iconic scenery. Arrive for an overnight stay at your oceanfront hotel; join us for a farewell reception and dinner.

Tour ends: Boston. Drive directly to Boston's Logan International Airport from Stage Neck Inn after breakfast. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in; flights should not be booked before 2:00 PM. The group transport will drop guests off at the airport and then drive 3.5 miles to drop off at Boston South Station (for trains).